Lenny Megliola: Brady has a magnificent view with Randy Moss afoot

Former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak sees with a quarterback’s eye, even from a distance, what Tom Brady’s seeing up close and personal on Sundays. The view is magnificent.

Lenny Megliola

Former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak sees with a quarterback’s eye, even from a distance, what Tom Brady’s seeing up close and personal on Sundays. The view is magnificent.

Well, especially for Brady, who’s living it. With Randy Moss, the entire Pats scheme on offense gets a new and improved look. If there was any doubt about the Moss signing, it hasn’t taken long for the mercurial wideout to become a fan favorite.

“You didn’t know if he’d have trouble taking orders,” says Gino Cappelletti, the ex-Pat great and long-time radio analyst. “But Bill (Belichick) had a feel for him.”

It was a different story last year when Brady lost his go-to wideout, Deion Branch, to free agency and no other wide receiver distinguished himself. Brady became frustrated. He had his reasons.

“Last year (opponents) broke down Tom’s body language,” says Zolak.

While he still would routinely hitch up with seven or eight receivers a game, too often they lacked trustworthy hands or escape ability.

Enter, Randy Moss.

“He’d proven he was a talent, but you didn’t know what he’d bring with him,” said Cappelletti.

But Cappelletti’s seen enough. “He’s been terrific.”

The symbiosis between Brady and Moss has been evident from the first game. Amazing, when you factor in Moss didn’t play in the preseason.

When he doesn’t get open as quickly as Brady would like, Moss poses such a threat that “Brady helps him get open by looking off,” says Cappelletti. “Moss’s gift is to be always in football condition. It’s not like he has to run a marathon. He’s a thoroughbred. He glides off the line of scrimmage. He’s made to be a receiver.”

The threat Moss poses for the defense has residual effects. “It opens up things for the tight end on the other side,” says Zolak.

Moss’s one-handed gem that went for a 45-yard touchdown against Buffalo Sunday was all the talk after the game. The fact that Bills’ defensive back Jabari Greer played Moss in near textbook fashion meant nothing. Brady, with total faith in the outcome, just let it fly. A prayer? “Nope,” says Brady. “Haven’t overthrown him yet.”

That’s the page the two guys are on now. Imagine when they really get acquainted.

“Brady sees Moss covered one-on-one and he still sees that as a mismatch,” says Zolak. “The last three years Peyton (Manning) had the weapons. Now Tom’s got them too.”

Zolak said Irving Fryar was the best big man he got to throw to. At 6-foot-4 Moss is even more of an inviting target.

A source close to the Patriots says that Moss sat out preseason games because Belichick and Brady knew they had the right guy during practice sessions. Moss came in with a resolve that he’d show the NFL he had plenty left in the tank.

“I’m guessing they saw that after one week and told Moss to ‘get outta here, we don’t want anyone to see,’ ” says the source.

Moss skipped out on the media after Sunday’s game, his third straight with over 100 yards receiving. His actions had spoken for him. A year ago Moss was an unhappy Oakland Raider. Some folks thought he was done, or at least too much of a headache to risk signing him.

When the Patriots signed him, prevailing wisdom was that if Moss couldn’t cut it with Belichick, then there was no hope. Belichick has shown a knack for bringing players and selling the Patriots’ way. Junior Seau was a freelance linebacker until he came to New England. Now he plays it straight.

As for Moss, Cappelletti says “everyone wants to play on the big stage, in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl.”

The Patriots offer that scenario. Randy Moss has bought into it. Totally. Jabari Grerr is still wondering what happened.

Lenny Megliola is a MetroWest (Mass.) Daily News columnist. His e-mail is lennymegs@aol.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.